


The Playfull Raven

by Aemeth



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Canon Lesbian Relationship, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23485306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aemeth/pseuds/Aemeth
Summary: Hogwarts AU. After a serious Quidditch accident the gang just wants to enjoy a butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks, when an older woman comes onto Raelle. Tally fears what Scylla might do to her.
Relationships: Scylla Ramshorn/Raelle Collar
Comments: 41
Kudos: 587





	The Playfull Raven

**Author's Note:**

> So this started as a light idea that then turned a bit darker. I guess it just comes with Fort Salem's nature and Scylla's character. But someone asked for a Hogwarts AU and I had much fun writing it! Enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments :)

”Raelle, I'm serious!“ Tally exclaimed, a worried crease clouding the usually cheerful Hufflepuff's brow. Two men in the corner of The three broomsticks turned their bearded heads at them. Raelle sighed, running a hand over her face, wincing when she accidentally touched the still not completely healed malign wound on her temple. 

”Tal, please calm down-“

“No! I don't see why you keep having to heal everybody that happens to get hurt in front of you when we have a perfectly fine infirmary at Hogwarts!”

“It was a cursed bludger, Tally,” the Gryffindor defended herself. “Did you even see how much Abigail was bleeding? Who knows if she would have made it, I couldn't take that risk.”

Tally looked into the determined face of her brave, stupid friend and sighed.

She remembered the horrible Qudditch game two days ago all to well. Slytherin versus Gryffindor matches were always a taxing affair for her because two of her best friends played in the two opposite teams, Raelle as the keeper for the Gryffindor team and Abigail as a chaser and captain of the Slytherin team.

Tally usually ended up just cheering for both teams, much to the confusion of the audience around her and to the chagrin of her two friends.

But just when Abigail had thrown a lightening fast quaffle and Raelle had parried it with a dizzying head over broom stunt, a bludger nearby had started to glim in an eerie red, abruptly changed course and slammed into Abigail's face with unnatural speed.

Abigail had immediately fallen from her broom and crashed into the sand ground. Tally remembered herself screaming, while Raelle had steered her broom downside , jumped off and knelt next to their unconscious friend.

“There was so much blood,” Tally remembered with a shudder and Glory, the other Hufflepuff at their table, took her hand comfortingly.

Tally had ran down the trenches together with Glory then, the brief glimpse she had gotten of Abigail's blood drenched face like a red vail before her eyes.

But just as Madam Aurelius, the healer, joined them, they heard a piercing:

“Raelle, NO-”

It had been Scylla's voice, normally so cool and collected, now sounding panicked.

And when they finally got to the field, Raelle had collapsed next to Abigail in the sand, her hand still on the Slytherin's face – Abigail's bleeding now less and Raelle's face covered in it.

A great commotion started, all the professors running down. Tally vaguely remembered Professor Quarterme hunting the rogue bludger and the healer quickly murmuring spells over Abigail and Raelle and then she remembered how they had all headed to the castle in a grim procession, Raelle and Abigail floating on barrows a midst them.

Tally, tears streaming over her face, kept closest to her two unconscious friends and only briefly looked at Scylla; she knew if it was her girlfriend on a barrow with a bleeding face she would have lost it, but the moment Scylla had appeared, her fear had given way to icy grimness, her blue eyes never leaving Raelle but her hands clasped behind her back and her step calm.

Tally would have thought it cold, like so many people whispered about the mysterious Ravenclaw behind her back, but she knew better. Scylla was simply too smart to make a fuss when she knew she couldn't help. But Tally had no doubt that behind her seemingly calm facade Raelle's saturnine girlfriend was thinking up all kinds of horrors for whoever had done this.

“That bludger was cursed,” Professor Aurelius whispered shaking her head. “To let something like that loose on students... Collar reacted quickly. This ancient magic might have just saved Bellweather's life... for now.”

Once they had gotten them to the hospital wing the healer had them all shooed out and three exhausting hours later, when Tally had pressed all the blood out of Glory's hands and the air around Scylla was dangerously simmering, she had finally emerged and told them that they were safe now, and recovering. Raelle woke up the next day and was released after a long conversation with Madam Aurelius, while Abigail remained unconscious but was expected to wake up within a day.

Raelle had been smothered in hugs by Glory and Tally and had laughed tiredly before she freed herself and stood before her girlfriend. Tally had watched how Scylla calmly approached her. The Ravenclaw had stepped close and slowly risen a hand to Raelle's face, gently tracing the shimmering mark, the left over from the cursed wound that was also gracing Abigail's face.

Then she had fiercely embraced Raelle and Tally knew that for now she wouldn't be able to speak to her friend. It fascinated her to watch the two of them together. It was like they were drawn to each other by some magnetic force and with all the unease that Scylla still instilled in her, when she saw her striken face over Raelle's shoulder she could see how much the Gryffindor meant to her.

If there was any person Scylla Ramshorn loved, it was Raelle Collar.

Raelle had smiled at the dark haired girl, and gently trailed a hand over her face, before she had told them to meet later in the three brooms, before the two of them disappeared together.

Tally swallowed and grabbed her butterbeer, taking a deep sip from it.

“Well, at least you can't claim anymore that Abigail's not really your friend” she said with a challenging smile and Raelle's eyes quickly flickered down.

“I didn't want her to die, that doesn't make her my friend.”

Both Glory and Tally groaned in unison.

“You two are being ridicilious”, Glory stated and nudged Raelle's naked arm – she somehow insisted on wearing sleeveless shirts even in winter, though she wore her scarf, something that Abigail would have immediately pointed out as absurd to her, were she here.

Raelle huffed but smiled and Tally knew, just knew that this was finally it – the two might deny it tooth and nails, but they were friends too and there was no denying it after this.

Just when she was about to voice that to Raelle, suddenly someone put a glass of fine looking wine in front of the keeper. The three girls looked up to see a beautiful woman standing next to their table. She was in her early thirties, maybe, with sharp, birdlike features and long, flowing red hair, dressed in elaborate brocade blue robes.

“Raelle Collar”, she said in a smooth, rich voice, “The hero of the day,”

Without awaiting an reply she took the empty chair and pulled it close to Raelle, and then sat down on it. Or rather... she slithered.

“Um, what?” Raelle asked, her blue eyes weary.

The woman laughed a bell like laughter.

“My dear, don't you know you made the front page of the Prophet?”

Raelle simply grabbed her butterbeer and took a calm sip.

“Nope, didn't know that. Who are you?”

The woman gave her a smoldering look.

“My name is Cerys. I'm a potion maker and came to Hogsmeade to exchange some herbs with your herbology professor. I had just arrived when I heard of what happened. It sounded frightening!”  
Raelle didn't blink as she appraised her.

“Hi,” she said simply. “These are my friends Tally Craven and Glory Mophet.”

Tally and Glory smiled but Cerys barely spared them a glance.

 _Oh-oh_ , Tally thought with growing unease.

“It was really heroic what you did. I recognized you from your picture immediately and I just _had_ to buy you a drink.”

She pointed to the glass of expensive looking wine on the table.

“Um, we're not really allowed to drink alcohol in Hogsmeade,” Glory pointed out.

The older witch smirked. “Somehow I don't think your the type to adhere to rules, Raelle?”

Raelle paused for a moment, then she grabbed the glass and took a sip.

“Fancy stuff,” she remarked and Cerys laughed her soapy laughter again.

“I knew you would like it. It's moon wine, quite exquisite, fitting of someone of your unusual talents. Tell me, where did you learn this ancient healing magic?”  
Raelle tensed visibly.

“My mother taught me.”

“It's fascinating. This is the mark the cursed bludger left, I take it?”

Without asking for permission she traced a long finger over the mark on Raelle's temple, before she could lean back.

Glory and Tally exchanged an alarmed glance.

“Yes,” Raelle answered and subtly moved her chair a bit away from the older woman.

“I never met someone who could wield this ancient healing magic. Does it require words?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Raelle, would you maybe like to accompany me upstairs? I know it's off limits for students, but the owner is an old friend of mine. I'm sure we have a lot to talk about. Much of my work could be of interest to you.” She layed a hand with long fingers onto Raelle's shoulders.

Tally huffed.

“Okay, before this goes any further Cerys, you should know that Raelle here has a girlfriend. And she's really no one you want to piss off.”

For the first time Cerys looked at her, raising her eyebrows.

She gave her a sniffy smile.

“Oh? Why don't you let your friend speak for herself?”  
And she gave Raelle another smoldering look.

“It's true, I have a girlfriend” Raelle said with that gentle smile that always appeared on her face when she talked about Scylla. “And I had a really long day yesterday, so-”

“I don't see why that should keep us from having a friendly, professional conversation” Cerys interrupted her.

Now it was Glory's time to huff.

Tally meanwhile started to smirk, because behind Raelle and Cerys the door of the pub had opened.

“You and I have a lot in common. Surely someone of your skill is... eager to learn from someone who has already seen the world?”

Before Raelle could reply a hand glided down her neck and Scylla's face appeared next to hers. Her lips glided from her check to her neck and really, a brief kiss like that had no right to look so sinful.

“Hello, love”, she said in her sultry voice and Raelle's face lit up like it only did around the Ravenclaw girl.

Glory grabbed her butterbeer with both hands like one would a bag of popcorn and watched on cheerfully.

Scylla proceeded to put a sensual kiss on Raelle's lips, before she rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder, smiling at Cerys.

She held out her hand.

“Hi, I'm Scylla Ramshorn. I believe you're in my seat.”

Cerys smiled back tersely, her eyes giving Scylla the once-over. As usual the girl looked amazing, a dark blue sweater clinging to her figure, tugged into soft, black pants adorned by high leather boots.

The two women shook hands.

“Funny,” Cerys smiled “I must have missed the reservation sign.”

Scylla smiled back and swiftly slid into her girlfriend's lap, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Raelle wrapped her arms around her middle contently.

Glory hid a giggle behind her butterbeer but Tally was a bit worried. Scylla had that intense look in her eyes, like that one time she had challenged a boy who had talked crap about her parents to a duel and he had ended up rolled up like Spanish ham hanging from the spear of the statue of Einmar the Barbarian.

Cerys rose her eyebrows.

“Ramshorn? Like Gailan and Ariadne Ramshorn?”

_Oh Merlin._

The smile on Scylla's lips did not waiver, but her eyes turned cold like a blizzard.

“Exactly.”

Cerys smiled predatorily.

“AH, then you must be the daughter of the two Unspeakables who... spoke. An unfortunate affair. I seem to remember having read that you refused to go to Hogwarts after that and the ministry still has you under investigation for complicity with your parents?”

Glory's giggle died.

Raelle leaned forward.

“I want you to leave”, she said, anger in her every word. “Now.”

“No,” Scylla objected and put a soothing hand on top of Raelle's, “Don't worry. I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Cerys crooked her head at her, her long red hair falling elegantly down her shoulder.

“Your parents gave away one of the best guarded secrets of the ministry, my dear. If they find you complicit, you could go to Azkaban.”

“Secrets that the ministry uses to oppress and bind magical creatures all over the world!” Scylla retorted passionately. “Spells they keep hidden so no one can develop defenses against them. It is the people who oppress and abuse that knowledge who should be in Azkaban. My parents died trying to protect the freedom of this country.”

Cerys laughed. “That's not what I heard.”

“What have you heard?” Scylla asked invitingly, almost charmingly.

“That your parents sold it to the dark wizards of Tshamir. I hear they pay prettily for secrets such as those.”

Scylla reached forward to the glass of wine in front of Raelle, taking a sip without removing her gaze from the hostile woman.

“The Tshamir have no need to buy British secrets. They know magic so old it has long been forgotten in this country. Forgotten or _locked away, shrouded in secrecy so it only be used by the few rich and powerful.”_  
Tally shuddered. Suddenly she was cold. Scylla's voice sounded different, like another voice swang in her words, like a cold and powerful wind.

Cerys blinked, her face suddenly blank.

Scylla leaned forward, her eyes simmering with power.

“ _Be gone._ ”

Cerys shook, her eyes wide and empty. Without another word she stood up, turning to the stairs like a robot and slowly ascending the stairs. Scylla's eyes flickered before she closed them and took a shuddering breath.

“Are you alright?” Raelle asked quietly, concern overriding the shock in her face that Tally could feel run through her every bone.

“Yes,” Scylla answered, her eyes opening and throwing one last hateful glance upstairs, before she turned to her girlfriend with a smile.

She softly traced first the scar on Raelle's face, then the new mark.

Tally shook her head. How could someone look like a powerful dark witch one second, and then like a loving, playful teenager the next?

Glory blinked.

“What the hell was that?”she erupted, staring at Scylla like she had suddenly grown six heads like her mythical namesake.

Scylla smiled at her without taking her hand of Raelle's face.

“A secret.”

She took the glass of wine again and emptied it.

The other girls kept staring at her.

“I have good news” she said then, charming and casually like ever, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. “They found out who hexed the bludger.”

Starkly reminded of yesterday's weird inexplicable event Tally decided to let the current one drop – for now.

“Who?” she demanded.

“Timothy Orland, a spurned lover of Abigail's mother. At least that's what they say.”

Tally shook with anger. “Abigail mentioned him. That slimy, cowardly bastard, to take his jealousy out on Petra's daughter!”

“Have they arrested him yet?” Raelle asked, the concern in her eyes betraying any statement denying her friendship for Abigail.

“No,” Scylla answered. “But if Abigail's mother is anything like her daughter I'm sure they will.”

At that the group shared a fond smile.

A brief silence followed, everyone still reeling form the disturbing events.

“Do you think she will wake up today?” Glory finally asked, quiet and scared.

Raelle loosened one hand from Scylla's waist and layed it on the Hufflepuff's shoulder.

“I'm sure she will. And I bet the first thing she will ask is if Slytherin won.”

That made everyone laugh. They somehow proceeded to lead a normal conversation after that, with a silent agreement not to talk about the magic Scylla had just displayed. Tally studied her closely during their talks, this strange, dark girl, who was loved so much by her kind and loyal friend.

They shared a talent for the old and forgotten magic, but while Raelle used hers solely for healing, Scylla's interest went obviously deeper, just like the ones of her parents.

Tally was honestly a bit scared of her and yet Scylla also had this playfulness to her and the bright young eyes of a girl in love, softness and adoration in her every word and touch of Raelle.

Abigail playfully called her a necromancer and sometimes Tally wondered if it was actually true.

Finally, they got up and left the Three Broomsticks.

Tally and Glory wanted to buy something at Honey Dukes for Abigail and Raelle and Scylla decided to go for a walk, all of them agreeing to meet in the infirmary in an hour.

Once the two lovers where out of hearing range, Glory grabbed Tally's arm.

“Scylla is scary.”

Tally just nodded, staring after them.

“Do you think that it could be true? That she and her parents were involved with the Tshamir?”

Tally sighed and started to slowly walk them back to Hogwarts.

“I really don't know”, she confessed. “I think Scylla is right, that the ministry does all kinds of stuff it shouldn't and that they keep magic secret for their own gain. But the magic she knows... it seems dark. Like something that shouldn't be known. But Raelle trusts her.”

“Raelle _loves_ her.”

Tally sighed and snuggled close to her childhood friend.

“I know.”

They were silent for a while until Glory whistled.

“That was _really_ bad-ass though. Jealous Scylla is kind of hot.”

Tally laughed.

+++

Tucked away under the protection of a small, snow lined tree, Raelle leaned onto it's trunk and sighed contently. Scylla was snuggled close to her and Raelle buried her face in her night black hair, inhaling her scent of earth and cornflowers.

She felt a peace like she only did when she was with her and she let it fill every inch of her.

“I hate it when you do that.”

Raelle opened her eyes.

“What?”

“Your healing.”

Raelle bit her lip.

“Abigail is my friend. And I could help. She might have died if I hadn't.”

“I know.” Scylla smiled sadly and put a hand to her face, pulling her face down and kissing her tenderly. She then traced the shimmering mark on her temple again. “It's who you are. But when you do that it's like you loose any regard for your own life. You could have died saving her life.”

Raelle blinked. She was right and she knew it well, had been warned by the cost of their magic by her mother since she was little.

“I know. I just didn't think about that. I didn't think at all.”

Scylla pressed their faces together.

“Have you still so little respect for your own life?” It sounded sad and lost, even a little reproachful. “Do you know what it would do to me if I lost you, too?”

Raelle wrapped both her arms around her girlfriend and held her close, one hand stroking through her hair. “I'll stay with you. Always.”

Scylla kissed her and then stared into the sky, deep in thought.

“I think Tally is starting to like me maybe.”

Raelle laughed.

“I think you scare her a bit. But Abigail will love you once she learned what you just did.”

Scylla smirked proudly. Raelle tickled her sides a little.

“Were you jealous of that woman?”

Scylla arched her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

“What, of the woman you let buy you wine?” she replied.

Raelle smiled. “Well I know how much you like wine.”

“That I do.”

Raelle kissed the top of her head.

“Come on. It's cold. Let's head back to the castle.”

Scylla responded by climbing into her lap, her arms wrapping around Raelle's neck, giving her the smile that made Raelle loose her breath since she had first laid eyes on her.

“No it's not,” Scylla purred and leaned forward to kiss her.


End file.
